Situated near the Markha River in Arctic Siberia, the ripples created near the banks alternate between dark and light stripes.
Space agency NASA, recently shared on its Earth Observatory website some images of a phenomenon that has taken scientists by surprise.
The images, taken by satellite Landsar-8 over several years, were recently shared by the space agency NASA on its Earth Observatory website.
The pictures show presence of an odd landscape in the cold Arctic depths of Siberia in Russia, near the Markha River with widespread ripples.
Situated near the Markha River in Arctic Siberia, the ripples created near the banks alternate between dark and light stripes.
However, the space agency is not sure what causes the pattern on the Siberian ground.
The ripple created around the river can be seen in all seasons, but becomes the most pronounced during winter days as the snow makes the pattern more visible.
One explanation offered by the space agency was linked to the frigid temperatures in the region.
The other explanation that agency ventures is surface erosion.
Geologist Thomas Crafford, with the US geological survey, told NASA that the stripes resemble a pattern in sedimentary rock known as layer cake geology, which happens when melting snow or rain runs downhill, chipping away and flushing pieces of sedimentary rock into piles. The resulting slabs of sediment look a lot like slices of a layer cake.
1. NASA shares images of a phenomenon
)
Space agency NASA, recently shared on its Earth Observatory website some images of a phenomenon that has taken scientists by surprise.
The images, taken by satellite Landsar-8 over several years, were recently shared by the space agency NASA on its Earth Observatory website.
(Image Source: NASA Earth Observatory)
2. Odd landscape in cold Arctic depths of Siberia in Russia
)
The pictures show presence of an odd landscape in the cold Arctic depths of Siberia in Russia, near the Markha River with widespread ripples.
(Image Source: NASA Earth Observatory)
3. Ripples alternate between dark and light stripes
)
Situated near the Markha River in Arctic Siberia, the ripples created near the banks alternate between dark and light stripes.
However, the space agency is not sure what causes the pattern on the Siberian ground.
(Image Source: NASA Earth Observatory)
4. Ripple becomes the most pronounced during winter days
)
The ripple created around the river can be seen in all seasons, but becomes the most pronounced during winter days as the snow makes the pattern more visible.
(Image Source: NASA Earth Observatory)
5. Frigid temperatures in the region
)
One explanation offered by the space agency was linked to the frigid temperatures in the region.
(Image Source: NASA Earth Observatory)
6. Surface erosion
)
The other explanation that agency ventures is surface erosion.
Geologist Thomas Crafford, with the US geological survey, told NASA that the stripes resemble a pattern in sedimentary rock known as layer cake geology, which happens when melting snow or rain runs downhill, chipping away and flushing pieces of sedimentary rock into piles. The resulting slabs of sediment look a lot like slices of a layer cake.
(Image Source: NASA Earth Observatory)
